# sect

/ˈsɛkt/ (US) · /sˈɛkt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sect
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. religious subgroup

noun · CEFR B2

a religious group that has separated from a larger, more established religion.

For teachers: a religious body that has separated from a larger denomination, often viewed as extreme or exclusive by the parent organization.

- The small religious sect built its own temple far away from the city.
- Historians have long debated the influence of various ascetic sects on the development of early monastic traditions in the region.

Usage: Often carries a slightly negative or suspicious connotation in secular contexts.

### 2. ideological group

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

a group of people who follow a specific leader or a particular set of strong ideas.

For teachers: a group following a specific philosophical or political doctrine, typically one that is distinct from mainstream thought.

- A small sect of economists argued that the new tax would actually help the poor.
- The party was eventually weakened by internal fighting between rival political sects, each claiming to represent the true spirit of the revolution.

### 3. astrological polarity

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Technical

an old way of grouping planets into day or night categories in astrology.

For teachers: An ancient astrological concept used to classify celestial bodies as either diurnal or nocturnal based on their relationship to the horizon.

- Ancient books on the stars often mention the sect of a planet.
- In Hellenistic astrology, the concept of sect was fundamental to determining whether a specific planet would act as a functional benefic or malefic in a chart.

## Examples

- The small sect met in the basement every Sunday.
- The new sect attracted followers who felt the main church had become too commercial and distant.
- Historians often debate whether the early Christian communities were merely sects within Judaism or the beginnings of a distinct, universal religion.

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